Customization tools a staple in some games
On May 10, game developer Valve announced that the PC copy of its newest hit, "Portal 2," would now contain authoring tools.
With this, players will have the chance to make their own puzzles, characters and sound effects to challenge and entertain friends. Because of the huge success of "Portal 2," it can only be expected that such tools would be released, but why only limit it to a few games? There are many games out there that could use this type of access to give players a reason to continue playing.
The perfect example of player contribution to a game is "Minecraft," and I am not just talking about the awesome structures that are built. Many players have created modifications to the game that enhance everything, from better graphics to making mining for resources easier by adding multiple automated characters to collect a certain resource.
The best part is that creator Markus “Notch” Persson does not seem to mind the plethora of mods available. It shows both the level of interest in the game and the many different ideas and talents of players.
Another example is the PlayStation 3 games, "Little Big Planet" and "Little Big Planet 2." This platform game feature creates levels by the developers for a storyline, and for the collection of materials for level creation. After finishing the story, the creation of custom levels gives gamers something more to do other than just play the game. There are numerous videos of levels created on these games on YouTube that range from parodies of other video games, original levels and even a marriage proposal.
It is amazing to see the wild imaginations of some gamers, and some levels contain gameplay mechanics or features that are completely brand new.
I realize that this idea might not work for some games, but surely there are games out there that can and should include the customization tools for their games. The developer’s efforts in creating a game are appreciated, but it would also be fun to see what gamers can create with the same tools.
There are always new games coming out and they seem to lack in creativity. It is always the usual run-and-shoot mission, finish-first tactic and other overused ideas. Developers are always asking for their customers to give them feedback about the game, and customization tools are a perfect way to display the untapped talent and creativity that fans might have, and maybe, just maybe, someone’s creativity might be rewarded with recognition and fame.
